Sweet As Tees › NZ Slang › Cuz / Cuzzy
Cuz / Cuzzy: Cousin, mate — family warmth extended to friends. Pronunciation: cuz / CUZ-ee (also 'cuzzy bro' for maximum warmth).
"Cuz" (or "cuzzy", or the deluxe "cuzzy bro") means cousin — but in New Zealand it rarely stops at literal cousins. It's a warm address for friends, acquaintances and strangers alike, carrying a built-in message: I'm treating you like family. "Chur cuz" from someone you met five minutes ago is a genuine compliment.
The word reflects the Māori concept of whānau — family in the widest, warmest sense, where the line between cousin and friend barely exists. Someone's "cuzzies" might be forty actual cousins, their mates from school, and half the neighbourhood. Everyone's a cuzzy if the vibe is right.
In practice, "cuz" works exactly like "bro" but with a slightly more familial flavour. You'll hear it most in the North Island and in Māori and Pasifika communities, but it's understood — and cherished — across the whole country.
Short for "cousin", "cuz" and "cuzzy" grew from Māori and Pasifika English, where extended family — whānau — reaches far beyond the western family tree. When your culture counts second cousins as close family, "cuz" naturally becomes a word for anyone you feel connected to.